Friday, March 3, 2017

Movie Review: "Prisoners" by Daniel Kilgallon

“Prisoners”
(R)

Run
Time: 153 minutes

With “Logan”finally hitting theaters this weekend, it is important to
understand that Hugh Jackman’s acting capabilities range far beyond that
signature role of the Wolverine which he has owned since the turn of the
century. Amongst his finest performances is “Prisoners”, a 2013 thriller
directed by Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival”, “Sicario”). In this movie, Jackman stars alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and the
pair truly provide top-notch acting throughout this intense who-dun-it story.
Nominated for just one Academy Award (Achievement in Cinematography), “Prisoners”certainly deserved even more
recognition than that and is absolutely one of the most overlooked films of
2013.

Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) is a man
living in rural Pennsylvania. Following a Thanksgiving dinner with family and
friends, his young daughter and her playmate suddenly go missing. As soon as
authorities are notified of the abductions, an investigation is led by
Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal). Over the course of several days, a few
different suspects arise as the search for the girls continues. It doesn’t take
long for Dover to become impatient with the police and he begins to take the
law into his own hands.

“Prisoners”is an incredibly complex movie loaded with many serious themes and
layers. Perhaps more so than anything else, the film raises the very tough
question of: Just how far will we go to protect the ones we love? There are
also some religious undertones present, carefully shown through well-crafted
shots and the thorough characterizations of Dover and Loki. Jackman and
Gyllenhaal deliver, perhaps their strongest performances with the portrayals of
these two morally complicated individuals, providing the driving force for this
movie.

Jackman’s character of Dover,
intensely exemplifies how one can lose grip of their faith and morals when
experiencing a nightmare situation like this; as shown through the extreme
actions he takes during the movie. On the contrary, Gyllenhaal’s portrayal of
Loki illustrates a morality struggle in a different way, as his character feels
the continuing pressure of solving the mystery at hand before it’s too late.

“Prisoners”is a grim movie that delivers its thought-provoking messages
through a pair of outstanding performances. While its dark violence definitely
isn’t for everybody, this film is strung together by an intricate sequence of
suspenseful moments. All of this is topped off by a powerful ending that is not
easily forgotten. “Prisoners”is a
hidden gem that is well worth a viewing for anybody who hasn’t seen it.